News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by dcgudeman on Friday November 01, 2019 @06:23PM (#21424304)
You don't have to own or use any of Google's products.
Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by JohnFen on Friday November 01, 2019 @06:54PM (#21424562)
People were using Fitbit, not Google, and now their data is in Google's hands without their consent. Even if they stop using their devices immediately, Google still has the data Fitbit collected previously.

It's a good lesson about being willing to share data: even if you trust the company you're sharing with, a company you don't trust may end up buying that company and getting your data after all.

If you're privacy-minded, the only safe option is to treat all companies as untrustworthy.

Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by ejain on Friday November 01, 2019 @07:43PM (#21424863)
You can download your data [1] and delete your account [2]. These are two things I always check for before trusting anyone with my data.

[1] https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1133

[2] https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1285

Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by macintux on Friday November 01, 2019 @09:58PM (#21425409)
What you can’t do is delete the data that Google is collecting on you without an account. Data your family gives them. Data from your emails that land in gmail inboxes. Data from the umpteen thousand cookies that lead back to Google.

I’d like to see what Google has on me, but without an account I can’t.

Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by derwiki on Friday November 01, 2019 @08:03PM (#21424961)
but now that could change
Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by dudus on Friday November 01, 2019 @08:14PM (#21425014)
Google does a pretty good job allowing you to control and delete your data on their products.

Much better than the average tech company out there.

Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by ksajadi on Friday November 01, 2019 @07:27PM (#21424776)
While that sounds like a logical argument it’s becoming more and more difficult and will be impossible soon. It’s like saying you can live without electricity. Sure you can and there are people who do but that’s not the point. The point is a single company owning so much information about so many people without proper oversight. In such world it doesn’t matter if YOU are not a google user. You’ll suffer the consequences regardless. Start with how such a society is going to vote in elections and move from there.
Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by newsbinator on Friday November 01, 2019 @06:43PM (#21424455)
If your friends & family own or use Google's products, that's already a lot of overlap onto your life.
Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by solinent on Friday November 01, 2019 @06:26PM (#21424331)
Unless they manage to monopolize communication products. Snail mail has been doing well for me, I guess.
Re:Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B by x220 on Friday November 01, 2019 @07:22PM (#21424740)
If you text people with Android phones, Google can read your text messages even if you don't use their products.